Description of the Hells: The Account of Kumbhipaka

Verse 1 (skanda.8.40.1)

सुशर्मोवाच । अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि कुम्भीपाकं महाभयम् । श्रोतॄणामपि तत्कालं भयदं ह्यकृतात्मनाम्

suśarmovāca | ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi kumbhīpākaṁ mahābhayam | śrotṝṇāmapi tatkālaṁ bhayadaṁ hyakṛtātmanām

Sushrama said: Now, after this, I shall tell of the most terrible hell called Kumbhipaka, which strikes fear even into the hearts of undisciplined listeners the very moment it is heard.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.40.2)

आयस्यस्तत्र ब्रह्मणश्च अञ्जनाचलसन्निभाः । कुम्भ्यस्तैलेन संपूर्णा वह्निवर्णाः सुदुःसहाः

āyasyastatra brahmaṇaśca añjanācalasannibhāḥ | kumbhyastailena saṁpūrṇā vahnivarṇāḥ suduḥsahāḥ

There are iron cauldrons there, dark as the mountain of collyrium, filled with oil, the colour of fire, and utterly unbearable.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.40.3)

दुष्कृतीन् तासु तप्तासु बद्ध्वा बद्ध्वा महाबलाः । क्षिपन्ति राक्षसा घोराः क्रन्दमानाः सुभैरवम्

duṣkṛtīn tāsu taptāsu baddhvā baddhvā mahābalāḥ | kṣipanti rākṣasā ghorāḥ krandamānāḥ subhairavam

Into those blazing cauldrons the mighty, dreadful rakshasas repeatedly bind the wicked and cast them in, as they cry out most fearfully.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.40.4)

वर्षकोटीश्चतस्रश्च पच्यन्ते तत्र जन्तवः । ये तानिमान्निबोध त्वमुच्यमानान्मया विभो

varṣakoṭīścatasraśca pacyante tatra jantavaḥ | ye tānimānnibodha tvamucyamānānmayā vibho

There beings are cooked for a full forty million years. O lord, now learn of those about whom I am telling you.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.40.5)

इष्टकापाककारी च कुम्भपाककरस्तथा । तौ विनाशयते यश्च अग्निदो यो गृहेषु च

iṣṭakāpākakārī ca kumbhapākakarastathā | tau vināśayate yaśca agnido yo gṛheṣu ca

One who fires bricks in a kiln, and likewise one who fires pots; one who destroys these in the process, and one who sets fire to houses.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.40.6)

वने खलेथ गोष्ठे वा अन्नपानविनाशकः । भोजने विघ्नकारी च यज्ञहा यज्ञदाहकः

vane khaletha goṣṭhe vā annapānavināśakaḥ | bhojane vighnakārī ca yajñahā yajñadāhakaḥ

One who sets fire in a forest, threshing-floor, or cow-pen, one who destroys food and water, one who disrupts a meal, and one who ruins or burns a sacrifice.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.40.7)

कूटकर्मकरो यश्च कूटसाक्षी तथैव च । मिथ्याग्निचयनी चैव मिथ्याग्न्याहरणी तथा

kūṭakarmakaro yaśca kūṭasākṣī tathaiva ca | mithyāgnicayanī caiva mithyāgnyāharaṇī tathā

One who commits fraudulent acts, one who bears false witness, one who falsely establishes the sacred fires, and one who falsely invokes fire.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.40.8)

मिथ्यापाकप्रदाता च वेदानां यश्च दूषकः । हर्तोपकरणानां च शिल्पिनां यो नराधमः

mithyāpākapradātā ca vedānāṁ yaśca dūṣakaḥ | hartopakaraṇānāṁ ca śilpināṁ yo narādhamaḥ

One who falsely offers cooked food, one who corrupts the Vedas, and that base man who steals the tools of craftsmen.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.40.9)

एवं ते यातितास्तत्र विश्रामं पुनरुच्छ्रये । संप्राप्य नरके भूयो निपतन्ति क्षयान्तिकम्

evaṁ te yātitāstatra viśrāmaṁ punarucchraye | saṁprāpya narake bhūyo nipatanti kṣayāntikam

Thus, tormented there, and having again found respite in the Ucchraya, they fall once more into that same hell, until their sin is exhausted.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.40.10)

य इमं बहुदुष्कृतान्तपाकं शृणुयाद्वा मनुजो हि कर्मपाकम् । न स गच्छति तं दुरात्मपाकं नरकं साधनदुःखकुम्भिपाकम्

ya imaṁ bahuduṣkṛtāntapākaṁ śṛṇuyādvā manujo hi karmapākam | na sa gacchati taṁ durātmapākaṁ narakaṁ sādhanaduḥkhakumbhipākam

Whoever, man that he is, hears of this final cooking of many evil deeds, this ripening of action, never goes to that hell of Kumbhipaka -- the cooking-ground of wicked souls, filled with penance and pain.